Mobility – Page 6021 – I wish I had more to offer

Great Wall Motor’s Haval Concept H makes world debut at Auto Expo 2020

Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor has made its India debut at Auto Expo 2020, and along with a slew of SUVs, has also given the Haval Concept H its world premiere at the biennial motor show. The crown jewel of Great Wall’s Auto Expo display, the Concept H is a plug-in hybrid SUV. Details on… Continue reading Great Wall Motor’s Haval Concept H makes world debut at Auto Expo 2020

MG Motor showcases 14 cars including Marvel X at Auto Expo 2020

Participating in the Expo for the first time, MG Motor India showcased the Marvel X among a total of 14 internet, electric and autonomous cars that are being displayed at the Auto Expo. The Marvel X is the world’s first mass-production model to achieve Level-3 Intelligent Driving. The Marvel X is part of MG’s focus on… Continue reading MG Motor showcases 14 cars including Marvel X at Auto Expo 2020

Volkswagen India to pull the plug on diesel Polo and Vento, focus only on larger diesels

by Sumantra B Barooah & Ujal Nair. 05 Feb 2020 At the recent unveil of the new Creta-rival midsize SUV concept, the Taigun, Volkswagen shared its strategy for its future in India and explains why it’ll move out of the lower part of the diesel vehicle market from April 1, 2020. It’s not yet a… Continue reading Volkswagen India to pull the plug on diesel Polo and Vento, focus only on larger diesels

@Hyundai: Understanding ADAS Technology: Convenience Features

Applications of Hyundai/Kia Motors’ ADAS technology follow two types: on the one hand, the technology works to prevent accidents by complementing the driver’s attention with its safety features. In this article focuses on convenience features that reduce driver fatigue, specifically by assisting the driver’s maneuver of acceleration, braking, and steering. HDA (Highway Driving Assist), a… Continue reading @Hyundai: Understanding ADAS Technology: Convenience Features

@Hyundai: Kia Motors India launches Carnival premium MPV, unveils Sonet compact SUV concept

Kia Carnival premium MPV now available to order across India Kia Sonet concept revealed; a modern, dynamic and bold compact SUV Seltos X-Line Concept hints at rugged, bolder Seltos variant Kia Motors India, wholly owned subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation, today introduced two new products for the Indian market at the Auto Expo 2020. Alongside… Continue reading @Hyundai: Kia Motors India launches Carnival premium MPV, unveils Sonet compact SUV concept

After bumpy SE Asia ride, e-scooter startup Neuron Mobility chases growth in Australia, NZ

In Singapore, we are looking to double our reporting team by this year-end to comprehensively cover the fast-moving world of funded startups and VC, PE & M&A deals. We want reporters who can tell our readers what is really happening in these sectors and why it matters to markets, companies and consumers. The ability to… Continue reading After bumpy SE Asia ride, e-scooter startup Neuron Mobility chases growth in Australia, NZ

A Tesla Model 3 Goes From Rolled Aluminum To A Finished Vehicle In 48 Hours

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Published on January 31st, 2020 |

by Kyle Field

A Tesla Model 3 Goes From Rolled Aluminum To A Finished Vehicle In 48 Hours

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January 31st, 2020 by Kyle Field

Tesla takes raw sheets of rolled aluminum and turns them, along with hundreds of other parts, into finished vehicles at its factory in Fremont, California, in less than 48 hours.

Screen capture from: Third Row Tesla Podcast

The insight came from one of the longest interviews Elon Musk has ever given, which was with the crew from the Third Row Tesla podcast (Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Twitter, YouTube, Podbay), with a special bonus appearance from Elon’s brother and fellow Tesla board member and cofounder Kimbal Musk. Their mother, Maye Musk, was also present and occasionally chimed in from an adjoining room. The combined effect was a very personal, insightful two-part interview (so far) that delved into the more human side of Elon.

On the manufacturing front, Kimbal was the one who broached the subject. “What I find amazing is from start to finish, a car is made in 48 hours,” Kimbal said. He talked about the reels of aluminum stock that Tesla uses in its stamping press to form body panels and how the company turns jumbles of parts and raw materials into fully formed vehicles in less than 48 hours. “You can see the rolled aluminum in one section of the factory and you can see the cars coming out the other end.”

Body parts come off of Tesla’s stamping press at its Fremont Factory. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

“You don’t appreciate when you’re driving a car how much goes into the level of detail,” Kimbal continued.

In a Tesla Model 3, there are 10,000 unique parts in every vehicle, according to Elon Musk. “The pack alone is several thousand cells,” he said. Assembling all of those parts with as close to a zero failure rate as possible is hard to imagine for folks who have not lived it firsthand.

That’s why automation seemed like the obvious solution to Tesla when it came time to build the “affordable” Model 3. Installing robots that don’t mind doing the same task over and over thousands of times per day with unparalleled precision was part of the plan from day 1.

“Manufacturing is insanely difficult. It’s under-appreciated in its difficulty,” Elon said. After installing robots on the Model 3 production and assembly lines, Tesla had to walk it back a bit to strike the ideal balance.

Kimbal unpacked the journey more, noting that, “skills are changing as things become a little bit … there’s more autonomy, but autonomy isn’t perfect, so you do need to have a lot of people there. These cars have to be perfect.” It took Tesla a solid 12 months of living through what Elon called “production hell” to work through all the bugs in Tesla’s first real deep dive into building and streamlining the mass manufacturing process.

Screen capture from: Third Row Tesla Podcast

The process included the integration of Tesla’s own operating system into the human-machine interfaces (HMIs) of the equipment in the factory. Tesla’s ability to master and actively develop new manufacturing processes in the physical world with new equipment and in the digital world with custom software continues to be a significant advantage. The advantage stretches beyond just the automotive world and into the broader landscape of manufacturing companies, as other companies that build products don’t also design and program the equipment to build them at this scale.

“Given how much complexity is in a car, it’s remarkable they cost as little as they do,” Elon said.

If you haven’t watched it yet, part two of the podcast gives an exciting look behind the scenes of Elon’s life and the world of Tesla.

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About the Author

Kyle Field I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. TSLA investor.

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@Toyota: Mobility 54 invests in Sendy Limited – a logistics digital platformer in Africa- contributing to solve the social challenges in the African logistics industry –

2020-02-04 Mobility 54 Investment SAS (“Mobility 54”) – established in October 2019 under a group joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Corporation (“Toyota Tsusho”) and CFAO SAS (“CFAO”) – has decided to participate in the series B funding and to invest USD 7.6 million in Sendy Limited (“Sendy”) engaging in logistics digital platform services in Africa.… Continue reading @Toyota: Mobility 54 invests in Sendy Limited – a logistics digital platformer in Africa- contributing to solve the social challenges in the African logistics industry –

@Toyota: Building Vision-Oriented AI for Autonomous Vehicles — Our Portfolio Company Recogni is Hiring

Building Vision-Oriented AI for Autonomous Vehicles — Our Portfolio Company Recogni is Hiring Founded in 2017, our portfolio company Recogni is creating a vision-oriented AI processing framework for high-performance, low-power object recognition to help advance autonomous vehicle (AV) efficiency and safety. The San Jose-based company, which emerged from stealth mode with its $25 million Series A funding round… Continue reading @Toyota: Building Vision-Oriented AI for Autonomous Vehicles — Our Portfolio Company Recogni is Hiring

Lyft: Testing Self-Driving Rides With Employees

by Luc Vincent, EVP of Autonomous Technology Since day one, Lyft’s mission has been to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation. We started by innovating ways for people to get around — first enabling neighbors to share car rides, then offering shared bikes and scooters. Over the last two and a half years, we’ve made… Continue reading Lyft: Testing Self-Driving Rides With Employees